Artificial leather and method of manufacturing the same.



A. H. WHITMORE;

ARTIFICIAL LEATHER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1, 1911.

1,244,567. Patented Oct, 3Q, 1917.

UNITED STATES PATENT omen.

ALBERT H. WHITMORE OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO TITUS IBIJATTEB &

COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW-YORK.

ARTIFICIAL LEATHER AND METHOD 'OB MANUFACTURING THE SAME.

7 Specification of Letters intent.

Patented Oct. 30, 1917.

Application filed July 7, 1917.. Serial 1%; 179,230.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. Warr- MORE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinvented certam new and useful Improvements in Artificial Leather and Methods of Manufacturing the Same; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to the production of artificial or imitation leather, and contemplates in addition to the material produced the method of making such material.

Numerous attempts have been made to produce a substitute forleather which Wlll be free from objectionable odors, and at the same time possess the necessary characteristics of pliability, softness, strength, tenacity, durability, and the appearance of leather.

In the manufacture of artificial leather upon a fabric base, heretofore, the principal ingredients used have been castor 011 and pyroxylin. From time" to time various attempts have been made to modify the use of these ingredients by combining them with others in an effort to produce a commercially successful material, which was free.

from disagreeable odors, and which also possessed the characteristics of leather. These attempts have shown that use of a large percentage of castor oil results in a product which readily cracks, allowlng its surface to peel and scrape. ofi", and a product also commercially unsatisfactory because of a most disagreeable odor.

It is an object of the present invention not only to overcome the aforesaid difliculties and objections, but at the same time to produce a leather substitute possessing among other good qualities the following characteristics of genuine leather, namely: permanent pliability, strength, tenacity, softness and durability under varying atmospheric or climatic conditions.

A further object is the production of a leather substitute which is reversible and equally serviceable upon either or both sides, as also upon any of its edges which will not-'ravel or fray out with use.

A further object is the production of a leather substitute which lends itself peculiarly to the action of embossing rolls or d1es,'1n exact imitation of various hides or skins, and presents an exceptionally good smooth.

above results. This, together with castor appearance both when embossed or finished i In practice, I use palm oil to obtain the w oil and nitro-cellulose or pyroxylin forms. 7

the composition with which the base fabric is treated. Other ingredients, such as woodalcohol, amyl acetate, refined fusel oil, benzone, and coloring pigments are also used.

with my solution containing, in addition to the pyroxylin product, palm oil and castor oil, preferably in equal parts, after which a finishing coat of substantially pure nitrocellulose is applied in solution.

This product may then, be perforated for the purpose of affording it the breathing properties of leather, at the same time increasing its pliability and permitting the composition to become more firmly embedded in the fabric.

In correct imitation of various hides and j skins the aforesaid product may then be embossed by agency of suitable rolls or dies, thus practically obscuring from view the perforations aforesaid, and rendering the product moisture proof without in the least destroying it's breathing properties; that is to say, my improved compound is by pressure actually driven or forced into the said perforations, asalso into the meshes of the fabric itself, thus further interlocking the whole, and thereby effectually preventing the passage of moisture without actually closing the perforations Reference .being had to the drawings which form part of this application for Letters Patent, and which illustrate the method steps by which my improved'substitute for leather may be produced,

Figure 1 shows diagrammatically the first step or dipping operation to which the.

Fig. 2 illustrates diagrammatically the same fabric after it has received its first coating of my solution containing palm oil and castor oil upon both sides thereof, the

5 proportion of said oils exceeding the pyroxylin ingredients.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing subsequent and additional coatings of the fabric.

Fig. i is a view similar to Fig. 3, but including upon both sides a finishing coat or layer of nitro-cellulose,which may contain slight quantities of the oils.

7 Fig. 5 shows diagrammatically a fragment of the product perforated at frequent intervals. 1

Fig. 6 illustrates in plan a fragment of the finished product, the same having been finally passed through embossing rolls or dies to give it appropriate surface ornamentation, and more effectually bond the several elements together, and, r

Fig. 7 is a detail diagrammatic and relatively enlarged view of a portion of the i completed product, wherein the surface has been suitably embossed, and its breathing perforations practically obscured from view by the process of embossing.

Generally stated, the invention includes a base material preferably of fabric 1 having a suitable mesh of warp and weft threads designed and adapted to be thoroughly impregnated by a pyroxylin solution together with palm oil and castor oil, and to receive a finishing coat of substantially pure nitro-cellulose. The solution containing palm oil and castor oil is applied to the fabric by a dipping process whereby it is allowed to. saturate the threads upon all sides and firmly embed itself within the meshes of the woven material. The mixture con taining palm oil and castor oil is preferably thin, and as many saturating or impregnating operations may be employed as desired. I have found that when the palm oil and castor oil are equally proportioned and applied through several dipping operations in a thin solution the best results are obtained. In the drawings I have illustrated for 6X ample four coatings of my solution containing palm oil and castor oil applied to the fabric in succession. In practice, the first coating indicated at 2 upon both sides of the fabric is applied very thin, thereby permitting a free saturation thereof. The subsequent coatings of the solution containing palm oil and castor oil indicated at 3 may be thicker and as numerous as desired.

A finishing coat 4: of substantially pure e0 nitro-cellulose is then applied, preferably by dipping, the result being a product of pliable, soft and tenacious quality, having an edge which is highly advantageous for sewing and joining purposes. The thor- 5 ough impregnation and saturation of the misses fabric together with the properties "of the palm oil gives the product an edge which can be easily trimmed and worked without raveling or fraying out.

The perforations of the product shown at 5 in Figs. 5 and 7 tend to soften and render it more pliable and at the same time afford it the breathing qualities common to genuine leather. This characteristic is highly advantageous in the manufacture of boots, shoes and other articles of wearing apparel usually made from hides and skins.

During the embossing operation the perforations 5 are practically obliterated from view 'by action of the rolls or dies which force the various coatings aforesaid into the said perforations, thereby more effectually interlocking and securing the several elements together. This operation has been found to work readily with the combining 5 of castor oil and palm oil in solution and to give greater strength to the bond between the base of the fabric and the final coatings as shown in Fig. 7. The perforations, by the embossing operation, are closed sufficiently to prevent the passage of moisture but not to interfere with the circulation of air therethrough.

In the production of a leather substitute made in accordance with my invention the advantages of the use of palm oil and castor oil in equal parts, are numerous. For example, the drying out of the product is less likely to occur and is certainly deferred for a considerable period; the imitation of vari ous hides and skins by the embossing operation is effected to greater advantage and without danger of its subsequent cracking; and the elimination of the odor of castor oil is rendered possible by its reduced propor- 5*; tion.

In the practice of the invention it will be readily understood that various ingredients which will give the odor of difierent leather,

may be added without aifecting the quality or use of the product.

What I claim is:

1. A fabricimpregnated with a composition containing castor oil, palm oil and nitro-cellulose.

2. The process which consists in impregnating fabric with a composition containa ing castor oil and palm oil, then coating in a solution of nitro-cellulose and then embossing the surface of the fabric.

3. The process which consists in impregnating fabric with a composition containing castor oil and palm oil in equal parts, then coating in a solution of pure nitro-cellulose, and then embossing the surface of the fabric.

4. The process which consists in impregnating fabric with a composition containing castor oil and palm oil, then coating with a solution of nitro-cellulose, then perforat- 0 ing the fabric and then embossing the fabric.

5. The rocess which consists in impregnating fabric with a composition containing palm oil, coating with a solution of nitro-cellulose, then perforating the fabric and then embossing the fabric.

6. The process which consists in impregnating bv dipping fabric into a composition contalning palm oil, coating with a solution of nitro-cellulose" then perforating the fabric, and then embossing the fabric to obscure the perforations.

7. The process which consists in impregnating by dipping a cross threaded Woven fabric into a composition containing palm oil and castor oil, then coating the fabric with pure nitro-cellulose, then perforating the fabric and finally embossing the fabric to conceal the perforations.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signa ture, in presence of two subscribing wit- DGSSGS.

ALBERT H. WHITMORE,

Witnesses;

ERUARD H. TATJE, SAVEL STEPHENSON. 

